Children can learn more advanced strokes and are introduced to d…
Children can learn more advanced strokes and are introduced to deeper water in this 30-by-75-foot pool, which has depths ranging from 4 to 8 feet. The rim-flow circulation on all the pools ensures a more stable water surface, so that waves don’t startle newer swimmers.
Little Otter Swim School
Beginners are taught in the 30-by-30-foot, 4-foot deep area. Mos…
Beginners are taught in the 30-by-30-foot, 4-foot deep area. Mosaics on the pool floor and foam sculptures on the ceiling help stimulate children to learn. The two pools behind it are meant for child-and-parent classes.
Little Otter Swim School
Parents and guardians have plenty of room to watch their childre…
Parents and guardians have plenty of room to watch their children take the lessons. Floor-to-ceiling glass provides an unobstructed view, and the space is air-conditioned for the parents’ comfort.
Little Otter Swim School
The cabana-style changing rooms continue the ocean theme and eng…
The cabana-style changing rooms continue the ocean theme and engage children with bright colors and multiple textures.
Little Otter Swim School
A window to the equipment room allows parents to see how the wat…
A window to the equipment room allows parents to see how the water is treated. All pools have their own separate water systems with ultraviolet sanitation.
Little Otter Swim School
Murals and custom-made sculptures throughout the site provide an…
Murals and custom-made sculptures throughout the site provide an animated take on the ocean theme.
Completed in 2014, the Little Otter Swim School was built anew specifically for its purpose, with individual pools geared to different types of education and skill levels.
The 16,300-square-foot facility includes three teaching pools, as well as changing rooms, offices and reception area, and a viewing room for parents. Glass garage doors in the teaching area allow for the exchange of air during warmer periods.
The facility is themed to make learning as much fun as possible for children. Little ones are engaged by such touches as otter footprints stamped into the concrete at the building’s entrance and bright colors throughout. Imported foam fish sculptures are hung from the ceiling in the pool area to hold the interest of young students, while murals and three-dimensional sculptures from Wacky World Studios of Tampa, Fla. reinforce a playful oceanic theme.
The pools also are built with children and swim education in mind. One vessel specifically for parent-child instruction features movable benches at two depths so children can experience bouyancy. Built-in benches allow children to sit in the water while they wait for their personal instruction, rather than having to go on the deck.
Rebecca Robledo is deputy editor of Pool & Spa News and Aquatics International. She is an award-winning trade journalist with more than 25 years experience reporting on and editing content for the pool, spa and aquatics industries. She specializes in technical, complex or detail-oriented subject matter with an emphasis in design and construction, as well as legal and regulatory issues. For this coverage and editing, she has received numerous awards, including four Jesse H. Neal Awards, considered by many to be the “Pulitzer Prize of Trade Journalism.”
